Ouyahia: the man who sold the world

He is the son of a seraglio, the Algerians have known him for several generations. When he is absent from the television screens and political life, it is to return, always more powerful. The man's name is Ahmed Ouyahia. He is, in his own words, "the man of dirty work" and that is certainly what history will remember about this secretary of state.

Since the fall of President Bouteflika's regime, Ahmed Ouyahia has been in prison and faces numerous charges: granting of undue privileges, abuse of office, conflicts of interest, money laundering and favouritism in a major scandal related to the car industry. A scam that cost the public treasury 128 billion dinars (975 million euros), according to official figures.   

To understand how this man was able to cause so much damage, one has to look back at his political career. Ahmed Ouyahia was minister of justice, special adviser to the president of the republic, personal representative of the head of state, head of government, director of the cabinet of the president of the republic and prime minister until 2019 and the fall of Bouteflika. Since the 1990s, he has been part of Algerian political life. Three decades in which he has had access to the highest positions in the state, which he has used to enrich himself.   

Since the opening of his judicial enquiry, his latest statements have aroused the greatest indignation among Algerians.   

In the context of his call for corruption, the former strongman in power had to justify the 600 million dinars (3.73 million euros) found in his accounts. After much negotiation, he finally confessed that it was the result of the sale of 60 gold bars he would have received from the Middle East Emirates between 2014 and 2018 and which he would have sold on the black market. This money was not declared to the tax authorities and was secretly deposited in his private accounts.   

The powerful Gulf monarchs corrupted senior officials of the Algerian presidency. So far, no name has been leaked. Is this the beginning of a new turning point in this trial? Could this be the new defence strategy of this man who has been pushed to the limit? In any event, this confession raises more questions than it answers. "I did not want to compromise relations between Algeria and these friendly countries," the accused told the judge to justify his silence.   

Once the shock of these revelations is over, we will move from exclamation point to interrogation.   

What are the privileges granted to the Gulf monarchs in exchange for these gold bars?   

In Algeria, the emirs of the Middle East are not appreciated at all. They are known to come to hunt gazelles and bustards of endangered species protected by international conventions and in Algeria by decree n°083-509 of 20 August 1983 reinforced by the decree of 17 January 1995.

In 2012, the Algerian newspaper Le Matin d'Algérie published the headline 'Arab emirs kill bustards and gazelles with the blessing of the authorities'. To the great displeasure of Algerians this has never stopped. Between the bustard hunt and the treasure hunt, the decision is made quickly.

The inhabitants of the south are familiar with the habits of these poachers who come to kill on their land. It was not uncommon, while crossing the countries, to see the sophisticated facilities of their luxurious desert camps to hunt the last gazelle of the Sahara.   

But had the oligarchs of the Gulf offered all this gold for the sole pleasure of exterminating endangered species? What other privileges were granted to them? For the moment, nobody knows. Ouyahia opened Pandora's box? Is he threatening those who are still in office "to tell everything"? At a time when the former president's brother, Said Bouteflika, has just been acquitted of the charges of conspiracy and conspiracy against the army, the new reign of Tebboune wants an exemplary trial for corruption for Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, Bouteflika's election campaign director.

Would such instruction be possible without involving the highest dignitaries of the Algerian state in new scandals? The soap opera of the Ouyahia trial is not without its twists and turns and the former head of government has not said his last word. It should be noted that, despite having been sentenced in the first instance to 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of one million dinars, Ouyahia continued to enjoy special privileges during his imprisonment and was allowed to attend the funeral of his brother, a well-known lawyer from Algiers. Will Ouyahia recover as he always has? What is certain is that Algeria's honour is at stake in this trial.